Test and one-day regulars Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne have been omitted, but seasoned seamer Nuwan Kulasekara has been recalled after being ignored for the one-day series.

“We need to get the younger brigade in the stream so that we have a gradual transition leading up to the next World T20 and the 50-over World Cup beyond that,” Sri Lanka’s chief selector Kapila Wijegunawardene was quoted as saying in local media.

“We need to put them on the ground and see how they perform.”

Afridi is one of five players set to contest the T20 series who did not feature for Pakistan in either the Test or one-day matches.

Left-arm fast bowler Wahab Riaz, sidelined with a fractured hand since the second Test, will be replaced by another left-arm quick Zia-ul-Haq.

Leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who picked up 24 wickets in the three Tests, returns to the Twenty20 fold after four years, while 33-year-old fast bowler Mohammad Irfan has also been picked.